Although diversity has been on the corporate agenda for some time, the oil and gas industry has yet to demonstrate a solid improvement in terms of attracting and fostering diverse talent. This can be said in terms of cultural, racial, and particularly gender diversity in this article. Women make up a smaller percentage of employees in the oil and gas industry than practically any other major industry, accounting for less than a quarter of all employees globally. To make it worse, the numbers get smaller as you move up the corporate ladder.
Owing to the fact that the oil, gas, and energy industries are in the midst of transition and disruption, now seems like a good time to look at the industry’s prejudice and take efforts to foster a more gender diversified workforce.
Gender diversity in oil and gas
Women make up 27% of entry-level roles, 17% of senior and executive-level positions, and just 1% of oil and gas CEOs are female. The shortage of women in technical and field jobs, which are frequently stepping stones to promotion, is partially to blame for the lack of female representation at the higher ranks of oil and gas. Women are more likely to work in support roles such as human resources, information technology, and legal, whereas manufacturing, engineering, and research have lower women’s representation.
While the lack of women is a problem that is not well-acknowledged by the majority of the industry, certain companies are actively working to improve it. Vicki Hollup was named the first female CEO of a “major oil” company in recent years, and Oil and Gas UK launched an oil and gas diversity network. Energy UK’s Pride in Energy network, which is a diversity forum for LGBT+ members of the energy business, is addressing other types of diversity. However, recent industry data – namely at the top levels – show that more needs to be done to promote diversity in the oil and gas sector.
Women’s professional prospects and growth potential could well be shown and proven by oil and gas companies. If such advancement is hard to recognize, another problem will emerge: determining why women are not progressing inside companies and implementing methods to change these results.
Companies may also invest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs for young people, particularly girls, in order for the qualified people to continue being useful for the industry in the long run.
Essentially, an overall cultural transformation is needed to address the lack of diversity in the oil, gas, and energy industries and to encourage more women to pursue jobs in these fields.
What women can expect upon entering the industry
Women who work in the oil and gas sector, in whatever position, may expect to be treated with far more respect than they might assume, despite the fact that they are still a minority. According Lauren Hughes, field specialist for wireline services at Baker Hughes, you would not feel like you were treated any differently; if anything it’s usually people being nicer to you. Just don’t really think about the fact that it is male dominated then you’ll be fine.
These professions can also represent a love of the outdoors as a motivator for your work decision and a way to boost your self-esteem. This is because working in the offshore industry is a thrilling experience. It’s been described as “life on the go” and the ideal alternative to the monotony of an office job. It is a very different experience. The platforms and FPSOs [floating production storage and offloading vessels] are technical wonders. The closeness is unrivaled, which is critical when you and your coworkers are together for weeks on end. To top it off, you get to fly to work in a helicopter!
—
Despite the gender diversity progress in the renewable energy industry, companies like oil and gas Malaysia will continue to supply around half of the world’s basic energy demands. Simply said, this industry will continue to exist for a long time. Companies cannot afford to be closed-minded for this reason alone. Only a diversified workforce will be able to handle the massive task ahead of them.
